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Sunday, October 30, 2016

The November 2016 calendar at the Castro Theater has some appealing entries.

November 1 - The Birth of a Nation is Nate Parker's directorial debut and feature him in the lead role as Nat Turner (of the slave rebellion fame). The film has mixed reviews and was a box office disappointment. Despite its title and similar historical setting, the film is not a remake of D.W. Griffith's epic.

November 18 - Donnie Darko and Prisoners form a Jake Gyllenhaal double feature. It's been a few years since I last watched Donnie Darko. The synopsis states the "Original cut" will be screened which I interpret to mean the version with the Echo and the Bunnymen score which is my preferred version.

November 20 - Mississippi Mermaid and Rear Window is a pairing of the renowned mutual admirers Alfred Hitchcock and François Truffaut. Mississipi is spelled with only one "p" in the French title and stars two icons of French cinema: Jean-Paul Belmondo and Catherine Deneuve.

October 27 to November 20 - 2016 Silicon Valley Jewish Film Festival at various venues. The two films which appeal most to me are Rabin, The Last Day (November 19) and Sabena Hijacking: My Version (November 17).

October 27 to November 9 - 2016 Another Hole in the Head Film Festival at New People World Cinema. Horror films don't appeal much to me anymore but I feel like I should support the IndieFest team by attending a few screenings.

November 23 - Blind Woman's Curse at the Roxie as part of their Nippon Nights series. BWC is a 1970 tale of revenge starring Meiko Kaji (Lady Snowblood and Female Convict Scorpion series) as a female Yakuza.

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

I've noticed the Castro has stopped showing new releases. They used to show films after they ended their first run. It's been several months since they screened a film released in 2016. The Castro is largely a rep house/revival film theater now. They show mostly American/Hollywood films and host film festivals with live events often featured.

On the October calendar, a few films catch my eye.

October 13 - De Palma paired with Vertigo. This is part of a 4 day series with Vertigo screening each night and paired with a Brian De Palma film. On October 16, they screen Body Double which is my favorite De Palma film. Unfortunately, October 13 to 16 conflicts with the 2016 Mill Valley Film Festival (October 6 to 16).

October 19 - Jim Jarmusch double feature: Dead Man and Ghost Dog. Dead Man is my favorite Jarmusch film and Ghost Dog is the film by Jarmusch I most want to see. The full title of the film is Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai.

October 23 - a Marlon Brando double feature. One-Eye Jacks (1961) is the only film for which he received a director's credit. I have not seen the film or at least, I don't remember seeing it. The Missouri Breaks (1976) was directed by Arthur Penn and pairs Mulholland Drive neighbors Jack Nicholson & Marlon Brando. A critical & commercial flop upon its release, I recall seeing the film 25 years ago and not being impressed. However, the film has received a reevaluation in intervening years and is viewed favorably by some.

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I hope to attend the following film festivals before the end of the year.